A North Yorkshire NHS trust is to axe 600 jobs - a third of its workforce - to try to save £10m, staff have heard.

Managers from the Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust gave the news to staff on Wednesday.

Unison regional officer Ray Gray said the redundancies were a "disaster" for health services in the area.

Ian McInnes, the Chief Executive, said the cuts would not affect the A&E department and their main priority was that patient care did not suffer.

It comes off the back of a series of jobs cuts across the NHS in England in recent years as health bosses have struggled to balance the books.

And, what is your opinion of this, GMTD? You don't tell us. Neither do you tell us your interest in the matter is. What is it?

The whole idea sounds as if it could be a great move. The NHS saves £10m by getting rid of un-needed staff and the service probably improves because the remainder can get on with their work in peace without being disturbed by the 600. A Win-Win situation, perhaps.

And, of course, house prices should drop nicely in the area. What more d'you want?